Plano's Mobility & Curb Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles mobility & curb rules a little differently. In Plano, Texas, there are 3 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Red-Light Cameras

Plano cannot operate red-light cameras. Texas Transportation Code Section 707.020, added by HB 1631 effective June 2, 2019, bars every local authority from running a photographic traffic signal enforcement system, and the Texas Attorney General enforces the prohibition statewide.

Key details: Statute: Transportation Code 707.020. Enacted: HB 1631, eff. June 2 2019. Camera tickets: Prohibited statewide. Enforced by: Texas Attorney General. Local penalty: None: state preemption.

A photo-based red-light citation issued by any Texas city is unenforceable and invalid. The remedy runs against the city, which the Attorney General can compel to shut the camera system down.

Plano is more permissive than most cities when it comes to red-light cameras. That said, there are still limits.

Bike Lane Rules

Plano maintains over seventy miles of off-street trails plus on-street bike lanes prioritized by the Bicycle Transportation Plan. Riders must follow Texas Transportation Code rules of the road, with three-foot passing protections and helmet rules for minors.

Key details: Trail network: Over seventy miles. Passing distance: Three feet for vehicles. Code reference: Transportation Code 551. Helmet rule: Encouraged not required adult.

Cycling against traffic, ignoring traffic-control devices, or riding on prohibited sidewalks in commercial districts can result in Class C misdemeanor citations under the Transportation Code with fines up to two hundred dollars.

Shared E-Scooter Rules

Plano's Code of Ordinances regulates every motor-assisted scooter, including the electric and gas-powered stand-up scooters used by rental fleets, through Chapter 14, Article II. Riders can't use sidewalks in the Downtown District, Haggard Park, the Memorial Park veterans memorial, or business-adjacent Legacy Town Center sidewalks, can't ride streets wider than 27 feet, and anyone under 18 must wear a helmet.

Key details: Governs: Ch. 14, Art. II, Secs. 14-26 to 14-30. No-ride streets: wider than 27 feet. No-ride sidewalks: Downtown, Haggard Park, Legacy Town Center. Helmet required: riders under 18. Under-10 riders: barred from streets/alleys.

Riding a motor-assisted scooter, rented or owned, in a restricted sidewalk zone, on a street wider than 27 feet, or without the required helmet is a Class C misdemeanor under Sec. 14-30, fined per the Code's general penalty in Sec. 1-4(b) up to $500 per offense. Custodians who let a child under 10 ride unsupervised on a street or without a helmet can also be cited.

Compared to other cities, Plano takes a harder line on shared e-scooter rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Plano's mobility & curb rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Plano is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Plano can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.